Chapter Ninety-Seven: Accepting the Edict

  The economic confrontation between the two major families in Wutan City ended with the victory of the Xiao family, while the Gali family, as the loser, rapidly contracted its power and could no longer regain its former glory.

  The two big families' competing process, after being widely spread in Wutan City for almost a week, people who are fond of novelty and dislike the old, gradually shifted their attention to another major event, which is the enrollment of Canaan College.

  As one of the prestigious academies in the Dou Qi continent, the Canaan Academy is almost a sacred place in the hearts of all young people. As long as they can further their studies and graduate from the academy, their future prospects are almost guaranteed to be smooth sailing, and they will be able to return home with pride and prestige, sought after by various forces.

  The Canaan Academy is located at the intersection of the borders of the Gama Empire and two other major empires. In this no-man's land, the Canaan Academy has become a small country in its own right. According to conventional wisdom, for such a neutral force situated between the cracks, the three major empires would not sit idly by, after all, who knows when this force might be pulled over by an opponent and pose a significant threat to the empire's border defense.

  Of course, this is only under the premise that the power of the corner force is weak. If the power of the corner force has risen to the point where it can rival the three major empires, the three major empires will instead be quietly stopping all their thoughts and finally having no choice but to let the Canaan Academy sit like a giant dragon on the edge of the empire, with no one daring to provoke it lightly.

  After years of development, the current Canaan Academy has not only become a well-known high-level academy on the Dou Qi continent but also gained a reputation among the people of the three major empires due to some obscure cooperation with the imperial families.

  Some water and fire incompatible three major empires can maintain nearly a hundred years of peace, among them, there are many reasons. It is because of the secret control and harmony of the Canaan Academy.

  All of these have made the Canaan Academy's reputation and influence in the three major empires stronger with each passing year. Every year, the Canaan Academy will produce a large number of instructors who will be recruited by the internal departments of the three major empires to cultivate students with exceptional innate talents.

  For Canaan Academy's move, the three imperial royal families all tacitly maintained high approval. After all, the academy is not a sect and does not have too much restrictive power after graduation. Most of the accomplished students will choose to return to their own countries. For this indirect measure to strengthen national strength, as long as the imperial family's brain has not been pinched by the door, they naturally will not refuse.

  In a few more days, the admissions tutor from Canaan Academy would arrive in Wutan City, so now all attention within Wutan City has shifted away from the two major families that had been at odds for half a month. This move also allowed the Xiao family, who had been under intense scrutiny lately, to quietly breathe a sigh of relief.

  Canaan Academy recruits students who focus on cultivating their talents, rather than their identity or status. If one's talent is not enough, it will be difficult to step through the gate that symbolizes a smooth path. Of course, there are no absolutes; if you have some powerful forces backing you up, Canaan Academy won't mind having another big spender contributing large tuition fees every year.

  Because Canaan Academy recruits regardless of status. Now in the city of Wutan, even some young beggars or thieves are eagerly waiting for the arrival of the recruitment instructor. As long as they can pass with good luck, they will be able to leave this humble and despised profession behind and become respected warriors.

  Under the influence of this atmosphere, the recent atmosphere in Wutan City is even more lively than during festivals. Every day at the city gate, there are people eagerly waiting and watching.

  Compared to the anticipation of these people, Xiao Yan was extremely busy. Due to his upcoming departure, he spent this period frantically refining healing medicine. Seeing Xiao Yan's desperate appearance, Medicine Old felt a pang of sympathy and reluctantly lent him a hand. With the help of Medicine Old, a master alchemist of unknown rank, large quantities of finished healing medicine were produced continuously and sent into the Xiao family warehouse. According to these reserves, as long as the Xiao family sold them at a steady pace, they would be enough to last for a year without running out of stock. By the time the Xiao family sold all the healing medicine, they had likely already reaped an astonishing profit.

  At this high intensity of alchemy, although it made Xiao Yan extremely exhausted, it allowed him to control the fighting spirit in his body more skillfully. Controlling the temperature of the flames was also becoming increasingly proficient. These advancements, combined with his exceptional soul perception that even the old medicine masters couldn't help but praise, now made his success rate in refining Cong Blood Dust almost reach six layers. Such a high success rate could only be achieved by some experienced second-rate alchemists.

  Compared to the improvement of alchemy, Xiao Yan's own strength was also steadily increasing with the help of some spiritual liquids carefully prepared by Medicine Old. When Xiao Yan finished his last alchemy practice, the internal Qi that had been condensed in his body almost converged together like a dam breaking, and then burst into the four-star Dou Zhe level.

  For this unexpected harvest, Xiao Yan was also overjoyed. It seems that this high-intensity alchemy has a pretty good amplification effect on enhancing his strength.

  Of course, alchemy did have some amplification effect, but after all, it was too exhausting. After the last batch of medicinal materials were refined by Xiao Yan, Medicine Old stopped him. Looking at Medicine Old's stern expression at that time, considering that the stock was already sufficient, Xiao Yan didn't insist anymore. So, when he returned to his room and slept for a whole day, life became leisurely and easy again.

  Walking slowly among his family members, looking at the training grounds that had suddenly become crowded, Xiao Yan felt a bit helpless.

  In various venues, many young people are sweating profusely in their hard work. These individuals are all looking forward to the last few days of time that will allow them to reach the admission qualifications for Canaan Academy.

  Standing at the edge of the training grounds, Xiao Yan lazily glanced around before turning to leave with a look of boredom. He didn't have much sympathy for these people who only came to worship when it was convenient for them. Even he himself had to work hard to recover his talent back then and often ended up exhausted like a dog. But these people, with their mediocre talents, always relied on their family's influence and went around causing trouble wherever they pleased. This kind of behavior really made Xiao Yan uninterested in them.

  The admission baseline of the Canaan Academy is not low, before the age of 18, one must reach the eighth stage of Dou Zhi, this somewhat harsh condition has shattered many people's dreams, of course, from Xiao Yan's perspective, currently on the training field, those who meet the admission requirements will not exceed two.

  With his hands clasped behind his head, Xiao Yan threw those guys out of his mind. It didn't matter to him how many of them could get in. He shook his head and turned into a small alley, walking into the backyard's flower garden. A familiar girl's back figure was standing amidst the blooming flowers, looking extremely beautiful.

  Squinting his eyes to gaze at the perfectly curved back, Xiao Yan's face revealed a gentle smile as he softly chuckled and slowly walked towards the green-clothed girl who was staring blankly at the willow tree.

  "Xiao Yan-gege, you...you're leaving soon?" The slightly sorrowful voice had already reached Xiao Yan's ears before the girl even approached him.

  He hesitated for a moment, and Xiao Yan nodded reluctantly, walking slowly forward to stand beside Xun'er. He turned his head, saw the delicate little face that was somewhat melancholy, smiled slightly, stretched out his hand, patted Xun'er's small head, then slid down along her soft black hair, the comfortable feeling making him a bit dizzy.

  "Are you not going to Canaan Academy?" Xun'er said softly as Xiao Yan fondled the green locks that no other man had touched besides himself.

  "Hmm." He nodded and smiled lightly: "I have things I need to take care of too."

  "Is it because of Nalan Yanran?" The water-like eyes sparkled with a mysterious cold intent, Xun'er lightly bit her red lips and said in a low voice.

  He gently grasped Qing Si's palm, paused for a moment, and shrugged his shoulders, smiling faintly: "Back then, I made this promise in front of so many people; it's not possible to go back on my word now, is it? If that were the case, even you would look down on me."

  Her delicate eyebrows furrowed slightly as she let out a soft sigh, muttering to herself in a voice that only she could hear: "I really shouldn't have let her live and return after all."

  "Hehe, don't worry, after I've finished my business, I'll come to Canaan Academy to find Xun'er. Hmm... at most a year and a half, no, just one year..." Looking at Xun'er's small face that suddenly turned gloomy, Xiao Yan hastily smiled and changed his words."

  "Xiao Yan Gege, actually... if you follow me, I have a way to help you defeat Nalan Rongruo within the agreed time." After biting her lip and hesitating for a while, Yun Er suddenly said uncertainly.

  Xiao Yan shook his head with a wry smile, somewhat self-deprecatingly sighing: "You little girl sometimes says things that make me feel a bit ashamed of myself."

  "I know Brother Xiao Yan won't think I'm being condescending." Xun Er said with a sweet smile.

  He chuckled softly, shook his head slightly, looked up at the sky and let out a long sigh, then smiled: "Don't worry, I'm confident. In one year, I'll enter Cloud Sky Sect and defeat Nalan Yanran!"

  Looking at Xiao Yan, who had suddenly become heroic and majestic, Xun Er shook her head helplessly, just about to open her mouth to persuade him again. However, Xiao Yan suddenly turned around, stretched out his arms, and abruptly wrapped them around Xun Er's slender waist, pulling her tightly into his embrace.

  A gentle breeze swept through the garden, green willows swaying lightly. The young man held the girl tightly, their bodies blending together in perfect harmony, as if they were one and the same.

  Xiao Yan's sudden action frightened her a bit, and after a moment, Xun Er's delicate ear tips turned pink, and she struggled slightly before stopping with a shy expression, her small face flushing with a layer of enticing blush.

  "Xun'er, one year later, I will go to Canaan Academy to find you, wait for me."

  He buried his head deep in her soft black hair, and the boy's promise finally made the somewhat bewildered girl nod obediently.